


The Kids Don't Stand A Chance

by Anonymous



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016), The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, Guide!Steve, M/M, Period Typical Attitudes, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Billy Hargrove, Scent Marking, Sentinel! Billy, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Unbeta'd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-03-27 21:29:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13889502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Thing was Steve has always been a likeable child.(The Sentinel AU fic nobody asked for.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hmmm I wonder how far i can go with this..........please be gentle this is my first fic ever.......

 

Thing was Steve has always been a likeable child.

 

Absolute charmer they used to say. Always had the adults wrapped around his finger. From his childhood to growing up to his teen years people naturally surrounded him like planets revolving around the sun. Richest boy in school, captain of the Basketball team, girls love him, boys want to be friends with him, he’s socially talented in every way, even the faculty and staff like him despite some of his shortcomings academically. Steve was liked by almost everybody.

 

Now when Steve was very young he was diagnosed to have a slight empathic ability ,not enough to present as a Guide for sure, but enough for him to be talented enough socially. He wasn’t bothered by this in the slightest. His father surely wasn’t thrilled about him presenting as a guide either. The relief his father always had year after year of medical exams and Steve hasn’t presented because that means he wouldn’t have to enlist to do work for the government. He wanted him to work for him after high school and getting enlisted as a Guide at 18 wasn’t part of the plan.

 

_“Steve’s empathic talent is good for business! You wouldn’t want to be stuck around chained to some Sentinel doing government work right son? Besides it’s very dangerous.” His father said gruffly while drinking by the fireplace._

 

_“Ah! But wouldn’t it be interesting to find a Sentinel who you’ll bond with for life, Stefan?” His mother chipped in looking up from her book. “It will be just like the movies! Very romantic. Like that one with James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan-”_

 

_“Please mom, I’m not a guide it isn’t going to happen. This isn’t the movies! I’m also almost 18 now, and it hasn’t happened yet.”_

 

_“You’ll never know, Stefan. You’ll never know.”_

 

To be fair at that time Steve didn’t know what to think, he had no ambition, he was the king of the school! What does it matter what happens after highschool? His dad had a job ready for him...Guide or not he didn’t have much drive to choose what he wanted for himself since his choices were limited either way. If he did present as a guide he might be sent away to some military camp so might as well live like highschool will be the best years of his life!

 

That is...until Nancy Wheeler happened, until the Upside Down happened, until he accidentally plays babysitter to a bunch of 13-year olds, who now mean a lot more to him than he expected, until Billy Hargrove beats his face in, in the name of protecting said kids, until high school seemed inconsequential in comparison.

 

In a span of a few months, after all that shit went down, Steve actually wanted to do something with his life. He wanted to be a good person, he’s good with this babysitting business. (Even if it meant getting wailed on.) He’s doing pretty well with the monster hunting business too. So 5 months before the end of the school year when Hop asked him whether he’d be up for police work, he realized he might want to do something with his life after all.

 

This whole Sentinel/Guide thing was bullshit anyway. Now if only he can get away from working for his dad part before the school year ends.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten minutes. Max told him to wait ten fucking minutes.

_To Tame a Warrior by Cassandra Hill_

_Royalty and Brute. Sentinel and Guide._

_An unlikely story between two different people bound by the red string of fate!_

 

 

Billy was pretty sure his left eye is twitching on its own. _I can't believe people actually read this shit?!_ He thinks huffily as he stares at the gaudy cover of one of the cheesy romance novels the Wheelers had in one of their bathrooms.  _Ten minutes. Max told him to wait ten fucking minutes._ It's already minute sixteen and Billy has had enough. He hid in the bathroom in the pretence of taking a leak and freshening up. But really it's just hiding from all that ruckus, the kids are too rowdy, the noise they're making is grating on his nerves,  Karen's perfume is too overwhelming, he feels a migraine forming behind his eyes and he's just about close to puking his brains out.

 _This night can't get any worse._ He thinks. But he knows that the fact that they're a bit late tonight _it can absolutely get worse_. Neil doesn't like it when Max gets home late, therefore it's going to be Billy's fault, yet again. Thing was, Neil wasn't always an abusive shit of a father. Before Billy's mother died he had a picture fucking perfect of a family. He even had a Sentinel/Guide for parents. People have always told him he's lucky to have parents like them since it was super rare, and it would probably mean Billy was _special._ He was in a way. He was...pretty smart. Skipped freshman year and is in several AP classes. But it didn't matter! After his mother died Billy's father has been devastated and spiralled into depression, he was suddenly a completely different person. Not long after that he was discharged from the Army for his mental instability, then from there it was hell for Billy.   _How can anyone want that? HOW CAN ANYONE STAND IT?_

 

He thanked his lucky stars that he's not a sentinel like his father. Or a guide like his mother. 

 

He took a deep breath and raided the Wheeler's medicine cabinet for some painkillers and swallowed it down with tap water. Billy went straight to the basement to get Max, and he was probably making a face because the minute he entered the room the kids were suddenly quiet and Max immediately got her things and said her goodbyes. Upstairs before leaving, Billy made an effort to turn up his charm (even if he was irritable and felt like death) to say goodbye to Mrs. Wheeler. But Max was quiet beside him until they were all alone a few steps away from the Camaro.

 

"I thought you said you'll try to be nicer this time." Max spoke before Billy had the chance to unlock the car.

 

"I waited for you didn't I?" 

 

"You looked like you were about to murder somebody." Billy rubbed  at his temples closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Patience waning.

 

"Look Max I'm just not feeling good alright? Get off my back!" suddenly a loud jangling noise were extra loud in Billy's ears and interrupted his thoughts. He immediately covered his ears and crouched down almost hitting his face against the Camaro in his haste.

 

"WHAT IS THAT NOISE?" The jangling sounds, turned louder and louder they felt like bells sound bouncing around his head. He closed his eyes tightly as an overwhelming wave of nausea hit him. 

A hand gripped him by the shoulder tightly and Billy opened his eyes to see Steve Harrington looking at him with concerned eyes.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...should i continue?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve couldn't believe this was his life now.

Steve couldn't believe this was his life now.

His parents are out of town again for some business conference and a few exhibits his mother was doing across Europe. So at 7 pm on a Friday Steve was in the grocery stocking up for the weekend...and probably for the next few weeks. He even threw a few candy bars for Dustin in the cart since he was picking him up later. Also a few pastries for Mrs. Henderson wouldn't hurt? Should he get some for the Wheelers also? Mrs. Wheeler would probably appreciate the gesture. He laughed softly to himself. This is ridiculous, he had a big house to himself on a Friday and he's buying pastries for the mothers of kids he was babysitting.

 

At around 8:20 pm Steve was pulling up at the Wheeler's. He was a bit late but Steve sees Billy Hargrove walk up to the Camaro with Max in tow. He sighs in relief. _Not that late then?_  He thinks. Max and Billy looked like they were having a discussion though. Steve couldn't hear anything from inside the Beamer so he quietly slipped out of the car straining to listen just in case they were arguing. Steve parked with his lights off, walked around the back of the Beamer quietly taking out the allotted pastries for Mrs. Wheeler from the trunk, half-listening in on their conversation.

 

_"I thought you said you'll try to be nicer this time."_

 

_"I waited for you didn't I?"_

 

 _"You looked like you were about to murder somebody."_ Steve looked over the two of them, closing the car trunk as quiet as he could manage. His car keys tightly in on one hand and the bag of pastries on the other.

 

Billy suddenly turned around voice raised "Look Max I'm just not feeling good alright? _GET OFF MY BACK!"_ Steve startles at Billy's outburst and drops his keys on the trunk door then it slipped off to the floor jangling as it went.

 

The loud thunk gave him away as Max asked. "Steve? You were there this whole time? " 

 

Steve was about to apologize for eavesdropping when he was interrupted by Billy's pained yelling " WHAT IS THAT NOISE?!"  he turned over to see Billy crouched beside the Camaro, face scrunched up in pain, eyes tightly closed. Beads of sweat forming on his brow.

 

He rushed over and knelt beside Billy. He tried not to panic "What's wrong with him?" looking over at Max who looked guilty, frozen in her spot. 

 

"I-I don't know. He told me he wasn't feeling good."  She fidgeted with her backpack looking over her brother.

 

"Why don't you get me a glass of water? Tell Dustin to get ready while you're at it okay? Oh and take this to Mrs. Wheeler tell her it's from me!" He tossed the bag at Max. "I'll see what i can do." Steve told her. And she rushed in back in the house.

 

To be honest Steve didn't know what to do here. Hargrove and him weren't exactly friends. "Hey." he tried talking to him to get his attention but Billy was just tightly coiled around himself groaning in pain. He placed his hand on Hargrove's shoulder and squeezed hoping to get his attention. The blonde's eyes immediately shot open, but they were unfocused. His irises are thin blue rings in contrast to the full blown black of his pupils. The light from the Wheeler's garage are illuminating the sweat dripping down Billy's forehead. This was not good. 

 

"Hey. Are you okay? Hargrove did you take something?" Steve asked as he tried pushing a curl out of Billy's face to get a better look at him. The touch had Billy leaning into his hand. Noticing Steve presses his palm against his cheek. Fingers moving and resting at the back of Billy's ears lightly scratching.

 

"Harrington?" the blonde asks, now his eyes focusing on Steve's in recognition. Leaning fully into his touch. 

 

"Yeah it's me,"  he gave him a small smile  "...don't cream your pants." emboldened, Steve placed both of his hands on Billy's shoulders and says "Now don't try to kill me okay? I'm going to help you stand up." Billy nods at him, eyes never leaving his.  Steve leans in and holds Billy from under his arms and lifts. The movement leaves them both in a imitation of an embrace. Steve was about to say something when Billy wraps his arms around Steve's waist, leaning in and resting his head on shoulder. Nose at the pulse of his neck. Breathing heavily. 

 

"Hargrove, are you...high?" Steve gingerly places hands around Billy's back. "You better not be doing any drugs around the kids i swear to-"

 

"M'noot..." Billy said petulantly, interrupting Steve's nagging. His voice muffled by Steve's shoulders. His hold tightening around Steve's waist  "Just a headache"  mumbling. Rubbing his cheek against the fabric of Steve's sweater.

 

Steve had to laugh at that "Are you sure?" humor coloring his voice. It's probably a migraine Steve thinks. 

 

"Mhmm." his reply was quiet as he tucked in closer. Steve couldn't believe it. Big bad Billy Hargrove acting like the biggest baby in Steve's arms. Steve belatedly realizes he was softly stroking the small of Billy’s back with his thumb. He moved away slightly looking over the house wondering what's taking Max so long?

 

"Billy I'm going to see if we can get painkillers from Mrs. Wheeler alright?" Lightly pushing him away. "Do something about that Migraine okay?"

 

"No...stay here. You don't have to...I had some already..." 

 

"When?"  

 

"A few minutes ago. Stay." he said impatiently. 

 

"Alright! Alright! Okay I'm staying you big lug." He patted his head awkwardly when Billy started to pull him forward almost toppling Steve over. Sighing, he continued rubbing slow circles into his back until the blonde's breathing slowed, his hold on Steve loosened and was putty in Steve's arms. Steve was almost sure he was falling asleep despite standing up. A few minutes later Max and Dustin burst out the door with Dustin carrying a cup of water and Max rushing towards them apologizing profusely for taking so long. "I'm really sorry i took so long...I called home and told Neil we'd be home late because I asked you to wait for me. I'm really sorry."

 

Billy looked at her and pushed away from Steve slowly, looking a bit dazed. Almost like he's forgotten where he is. "It's okay Maxine. Just get in the car."

 

"Uh." Dustin muttered lamely as he took in the scene before him "Water?" He offered. Steve took the cup and handed it to Billy. "Drink this. Are you even okay to drive right now?" the blonde took the cup without a word and just drank it one go. 

 

"Yeah, I'm feeling better now Harrington." Billy ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Taking the keys out of his jacket pocket. Avoiding eye contact.

 

"Hey." Steve lowered his voice and tipped the blonde's chin up, forcing eye contact. " I want you to tell me that truth that you're feeling good enough to drive home. Are you?" 

 

"Yes."

 

"Now can you promise me that you'll both get home safely?"  Billy nodded and Steve looked over at Max  "Call me when you guys get home okay?"

 

"Sure Steve." 

 

****

 

Later, a few blocks away from the Henderson's place Steve noticed Dustin staring at him from the corner of his eyes. Dustin was awfully quiet the whole drive and it was getting on Steve's nerves. "What?"

 

"Nothing." Dustin mumbled as he looked away pretending he wasn't staring. "So...I didn't know you and Billy Hargrove are friends now."

 

Sighing Steve counted to five "We're not. I was just...helping a guy out."

 

"Uh-huh."

 

Steve took one last turn and he's pulling up the Henderson's front porch. "If I give you a candy bar would you pretend to forget about it?" He grabbed it from the glove compartment and waved it front of Dustin's face.

 

"Totally." 

 

"Great." Steve stretched out and reached out for a bag in the backseat "Now these are for your mom. " dropping the bag of pastries on Dustin's lap.

 

"Now get out of my car dipshit."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh i just wanted to thank all of you for the lovely comments!!! It's my first time so this makes me really happy.
> 
> weeps i hope you guys like this update! :(( I apologize in advance for the errors.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy woke up in his room at around 4:45 in the morning with a hazy memory of how he got there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh oops that was two updates today! I hope you guys like it.....

 

Billy woke up in his room at around 4:45 in the morning with a hazy memory of how he got there. He sat there with the sheets around his waist staring at the dust motes illuminated by the sunrise breaking into his windows. He rubbed away the sleep from his eyes and tossed the sheets aside only to see he’s still in jeans.

 

He stood up, grumbling as he went to look for some fresh clothes to change in. Unbuttoning his shirt, he noted a strange scent lingering on his clothes. He took a tentative sniff and grimaced. A flurry of memories flashed in his head reminding him about seeing Harrington the night before. _His fingers in his hair, his soothing voice, the way he smells, his warm skin–_

 

_God that was embarrassing._

 

Ever since the night at the Byers.  _After Steve touched him and lightly pushed him on his chest, feeling that sting of rejection, then wailing on him then getting tranq’d down by Max_ , aside from his pride being beaten down to a zero he’d been getting these weird bouts of nausea and migraines. Getting back to school the weekend after the incident Steve’s face was a mess of yellows and purples but he seemed like he was doing better than Billy which was strange considering he had landed more punches than him.

 

Sometimes for absolutely no reason he’d get irritable and wore his aviators as much as he can get away with because everything seemed too bright and vivid it was like having a hangover but ten times worse. At times he’d sneak out of the school cafeteria because he couldn’t handle the strange cocktail of smells or the combined noises of all the students talking at the same time. Once it was all at once and that was one of the worse days Billy's had since the incident. Max finding him in his room a sobbing mess after a particularly bad beating and nearly incoherent from the migraines, she freaked out and stole some of her mother's painkillers and nursed him back as much as he can...after that they reached a truce. 

 

He often wondered if Steve gave him brain damage, which made no fucking sense since he only hit him twice and it wasn’t even that hard!  ** _Fuck._**   _Harrington was probably delighted to see him vulnerable at the Wheeler’s._ He ran a hand down his face breathing hard. Whatever he’s a piece of shit. He gets it. At some point he cared about  _King Steve’s_  opinion of him. He probably blew it. It doesn’t matter.

 

Leaving his room, quietly he starts preparing breakfast and turns on the coffee maker. Billy was not in the mood to deal with Neil today. So preparing breakfast was probably enough to get in his good graces. He doesn’t want to have another beating and a surprise headache today.  It was a close call last night, really thankful for Max having the foresight to call in late last night. Saving his ass.

 

“Billy.” Neil’s voice came from the hall and Billy quickly turned around and looked at his father. He was slowly looking around the kitchen and scrutinising Billy.

 

“Good thing you’ve decided to be responsible today.”

 

“Sir.”

 

“Make sure you finish your chores before doing anything else today.”

 

Billy takes a deep breath “Yes sir.”  _God, it was going to be a long weekend._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve walks towards the living area and takes in the scattered pieces of paper at the coffee table. There's a walkie talkie in the middle of the mess, and a few small toy figures littering the area but a small black book catches Steve's attention. He plops down the sofa and reaches for it and turns it over in his hands. "What's this?"
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Sentinel and Guide
> 
> Basics, Bonding, and Beyond
> 
> by Dr. N.H. Gottlieb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the kudos and comments you guys...I really wish i can reply to them but i can't without being anon. :(
> 
> I want you guys to know it makes me excited to see your comments! 
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you guys like this update!

"Steve?" 

 

"Hey Nance I'm here to pick up Mike?" 

 

"Oh for the arcade? Give me a sec i'll go get him." She takes a few steps up the stairs and yells. "Mike! Steve's here!" A beat and Mike yells back from the second floor "Tell him to wait a minute!" Nancy walks back down and opens the door wider for him to enter. "Why don't you go sit down this might take a while." 

"Sure." Steve walks towards the living area and takes in the scattered pieces of paper at the coffee table. There's a walkie talkie in the middle of the mess, and a few small toy figures littering the area but a small black book catches Steve's attention. He plops down the sofa and reaches for it and turns it over in his hands. "What's this?"

 

 

_Sentinel and Guide_

_Basics, Bonding, and Beyond_

_by Dr. N.H. Gottlieb_

 

 

"Hm?" Nancy peered over the book in question as Steve flipped over the cover for her to see. She walks over to Steve and sits beside him "Oh yeah. Mike must've took it from my room last night. He said something about Jane having...super enhanced Guide powers or something?"

 

"O-kaaay. But..." He points the book at her  "Why do you have it? Last i checked nobody in your family was a..." making a vague hand gesture. 

 

"Oh no It's probably one of Barb's. She used to bring those around when she'd come over." 

 

"I'm sorry. "

 

"It's alright. She was a guide y'know? She was pretty excited to get into one of those programs." 

 

"Programs? Really? Didn't think she'd be interested in those government military type...stuff."

 

"Nah. I don't think that's it." she quickly flipped through the book and pointing at a page " I think if you're a confirmed guide or sentinel or whatever you get enlisted by the government and they either get you to choose a program or they choose one that fits you."

 

"Huh." Interest piqued he takes the book from Nancy and flips through some of the pages. 

 

"Yeah Barb was pretty excited to get into one of the STEM programs ever since she presented as a guide. Meeting a sentinel at the program was a bonus she used to say." 

 

"Wow uh. I thought it was just y'know, some dangerous jobs like-"

 

"We did used to have yearly talks about this in school, Steve."  She gives him a look "Besides I think those jobs require bonded pairs at least. You can't just leave Sentinels or Guides alone in police or military jobs. Imagine Sentinels having heightened senses in a ** _warzone._** "

 

"Right. I never really paid attention to these things." _Never had the reason to._ He runs a hand through his hair. Starting to feel pensive. 

 

"Aren't you a Guide though?" 

 

 ** _"Steve."_**   A voice interrupts Nancy's question.  Both teens look up from the book and sees Mike's grumpy face looming over them. Looking very impatient.

 

"Oh hey, ready to go?"

 

"Yeah. C'mon Max is probably there already. Nancy, Mom's calling you from the kitchen."  Mike fast walks out of the living room. They both stand up and Nancy pats Steve in the back in way of goodbye as she walks over the kitchen. Mike's already by the front door waiting. 

 

"Hey why don't you go ahead...let me just check if i forgot something." He walks backwards into the living area and he scans the room to make sure no one is looking and swiftly pockets the book into his jacket. 

 

***

 

 

The minute Steve parks at arcade he finds himself being pulled by the arm by a bunch of 13- year olds. _Something about a new game_ he thinks. After playing at least 10 games and losing to 7. He had to give up and save his wounded pride. He decides to drive around and probably buy something from the diner before the kids finish playing in about 30 minutes, but pushing the double doors open he sees Billy Hargrove leaning against the Camaro in the parking lot. Conveniently parked under a the shade. Plans quickly forgotten. He walks over.

 

"Hargrove."  Steve says in way of greeting. 

 

"Harrington." The blonde gives him a quick once over, crossing his arms turning his head.  Looking bored at Steve's presence. He doesn't know what to do so he mimics his pose and leans against the Camaro.  _"What are you doing here Harrington?"_  Billy snaps at him. Clearly bemused. 

 

"Can't I check up on you after last night? " tilting his head "You feeling better?" 

 

"I don't know what you're talking about."

 

"Right. Sure."

 

"What do you want me to do? Thank you?"

 

"Sure. Maybe you can apologize for that night at the Byers too while you're at it."

 

He purses his lips and looks away. Looking like this conversation is giving him an aneurysm. "I'm sorry for rearranging your face." then he proceeds on giving Steve a lewd look while dragging his tongue across his teeth. Voice dropping an octave. "And also thank you for last night." 

 

Steve snorts at that "Are you incapable of not being an asshole?"

 

"It's a gift." Billy looks at him then from under his lashes and looks and looks. He notices a freckle on his nose, the moles scattering his neck, hair falling across his forehead, then he sees the little scar near his hairline from the plate he hit him with. Now there's a small twist in his gut from the memory. "Look it was just a really bad night..." clearing his throat "At the Byers." he kicks a pebble, shuffling his feet avoiding looking at Steve. "I'm sorry."

 

Steve looks over at him thoughtfully before nudging him with his elbow, giving him a small smile. "Thank you Billy."

 

"Don't mention it." placing a cigarette on his lips. He turns over to the brunette giving him a serious look. "And I mean DON'T MENTION IT. EVER." 

 

Steve raises his hands up in faux surrender "Alright alright." he shuffles closer to the blonde "I get it being a decent human being is physically painful for you." 

 

"Shut the fuck up Harrington."  Both boys look over the entrance as their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a group of teens leaving the arcade. Laughing and high fiving each other as they went, slamming the doors of the arcade open leaving it swinging in its wake. Steve notices Billy at the corner of his eye cringing and rubbing his temples as he took the scene in. He suddenly had the strange urge to soothe the knot as his brow with his fingers but he asked instead "Are you okay?"

 

"Peachy." The blonde kept rubbing his eyes with one hand. Softly groaning. 

 

"Doesn't look peachy."

 

"I said it's nothing! Harrington quit your mothering," 

 

"Judging from last night it could be something serious." 

 

"Will you just shut your trap for one minute?"

 

Steve goes easy and just watches the other boy try to calm himself down. He waits a beat. then another and another. Now he's feeling restless himself just watching Billy helpless. He thinks if maybe he can change the topic he can distract him from the pain so he tries to fill in the silence again. 

 

" I thought maybe you've apologized to Max. Saw the way she talked to you last night. Seems like you're getting along just fine."

 

"It's- Maxine and I just have an understanding." 

 

"You can try apologizing to the other kids too."

 

"You are seriously getting on my nerves now , Steve." looking at Steve like he's being ridiculous. 

 

"I live to serve, Hargrove."

 

The blonde laughs at that. The distraction is working and Steve takes it as a small victory. The door to the arcade opens again and the noises from the machines catch Billy's attention. Billy drops his cigarette now in favor of rubbing at his temples with both hands. Face scrunched up in pain. Steve now gives into the urge and lifts his hand up to help Billy soothe the pain away, but as he was about to reach out the blonde quickly grabs his wrist and...time stops.

 

Well to Steve it feels like it stops. A quick fission of static passes by the tight grip Billy has on his wrist but he doesn't let go. And then comes the hyperawareness. He looks up at Billy's face and sees him staring right at Steve. His breathing is heavy, his eyes are glazing over like he's concentrating on taking large gulps of air. He doesn't know what possesses him to move in closer and cover Billy's hand with both of his. But he rubs circles at the skin and massaging the meat of his palm, encouraging. "Billy?" 

 

"Everything is just too loud." he croaks. 

 

"Just concentrate on listening to my voice. Concentrate on me. " Steve says with as much assurance he could muster. 

 

"Yeah?" those blue eyes are honed in on him now. Almost pleading. He feels a prickling sensation at the back of his neck to the tips of his fingers at the point of contact. Looking down at their hands he tries to speak.

 

"About the kids..." Steve moves his hold tentatively reaching his wrist. He feels the beat of his pulse. Fast. Still too fast he thinks. He chances a glance at the other boy and sees that Billy's eyes dart around his face. Never staying at one spot like he's committing Steve's face memory. Steve feels his face warm at the scrutiny.

 

"You're really not letting that go aren't you?"  Billy says. He sounds angry but his voice uncharacteristically soft. 

 

"Mhmm." He looks down and he pays attention to his fingers now massaging each digit. The fingers twitch at his attention and he smiles. 

 

" _If I do will you finally shut up about it?_ " He stops. Turns Billy's palms over folding his fingers closing them into a fist. Covering it with his. He straightens up and looks at Billy in the eyes, he's looking at Steve with the strangest expression on his face. His eyes are almost crossed with the way he's trying to look at him. 

 

"You wont hear a peep from me." He says sincerely. 

 

"You're a weird guy, Harrington. Anyone ever tell you that?"

 

"Not as weird as your face right now, Hargrove." 

 

"What?" 

 

"You keep making the dopiest face at me right now."  Snapping out of it Billy cringes and his nose scrunches up like he smelt something bad. It makes Steve giddy. He doesn't know why he finds that amusing. _Adorable._

 

"Shuut uup." Billy says looking offended. But Steve is laughing now. Couldn't help himself. Steve doesn't expect Billy tug the hold on his hand. He stumbles a step and Billy gets up on his face trying to look intimidating. Their eyes meet then Billy whispers feeling his breath on his face  "OOh- Don't think I can't rearrange that pretty face of yours again if I-"

 

 _ **"Uhm."**_ the two boys whip around to see the gaggle of kids all staring at them in disbelief. They break apart quickly. And He didn't even notice them come by.

 

"What're you all looking at?!" Billy sneers at them clearly uncomfortable at the attention. Lucas flinches and Max crosses her arms. The other kids continue to stare at them like they can't believe they're even standing next to each other at all. Steve sighs then he clears his throat and thumps Billy's chest with the back of his hand. Reminding him of their conversation. 

Billy's eyebrows rise up to his hairline and concedes."Listen, Nerdlings..." He fiddles with his jacket. 

 

"I'm sorry...for that night at the Byers." He looks away. Steve tilts his head at him, encouraging. "Especially you Sinclair. It wont happen again." 

 

***

Billy is quietly reading in his room with one lamp open by his bed. When he hears a soft knock. He sits up and he sees Max peering through his door. 

 

"What? Did you need something?" He stuffs the book underneath his pillow. She pushes the door open slightly. Harsh light filtering through the room from the hall. "Can I come in?"

 

Billy gestures for her to enter as he sits up in his bed. Max stops a few feet from him and just stands there.

 

"Did you come in here for something or did you just-"

 

"I really appreciate it that you apologized to my friends today."  A small smile creeping on her face. Billy doesn't know how to react to that.

 

"Sure. But let's not talk about this anymore. _Capiche?"_   walking over to his vanity looking for his pack of smokes, he turns to her  "You can go back to your room now, shitbird."

 

Billy hears a soft click of the door, he assumes she's left when suddenly he hears her say, " I can't believe you apologized because Steve told you to."  voice laced with humor.

 

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM MAX!" 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now Steve had been used to being alone at home for weeks at a time. Loneliness isn’t really an unfamiliar feeling.

Steve watched as the Camaro zoom out of the parking lot. He feels twitchy. A slight uneasiness fell over him as he watched the car get farther and farther from the arcade. He jumped a little when Dustin had called him to unlock the BMW, breaking his thoughts. He busies himself by ushering the kids into the car asking them if they’d want to get milkshakes with him at the diner.

 

A few milkshakes, a basket of fries, and a discussion over Billy Hargrove later, he drops everyone off in their respective houses. Driving alone all the way back to Loch Nora without the distraction an unexplainable anxiety falls over him and his palms start to sweat. He unlocks the door to his empty house...and he feels _lonely._

 

Now Steve had been used to being alone at home for weeks at a time. Loneliness isn’t really an unfamiliar feeling. He’s been left alone too many times by his parents, too busy with their own business to bother with their son. Nannies have come and gone throughout his childhood. Girlfriends never really lasting long enough for him to have a connection with. Friends who flock him throughout high school but never really bothered to get to know him. But _this_ is a strange brand of anxiety he’s never felt before, he feels twitchy, uneasy, almost _longing for something._ But he doesn't know what?His hands twitch at the thought _._  He doesn’t really know what’s set him off. He tries tidying up, doing some laundry, he even called Dustin just to check if  there wasn’t some Upside Down business happening. Just to make sure he wasn’t on edge for no reason, but no dice.

 

With nothing else to do he puts a record on and starts to get dressed and get ready for bed. Shrugging off his jacket he completely forgets about the book he snatched from the Wheeler’s early this morning and it falls over his socked feet.Picking it up he flops over the bed and flips the book open:

 

Table of Contents

_**Basics** _

  * Intro
  * Sentinel and Guide
  * Bonding Basics
  * Society
  * Careers



_**Bonding** _

  * In depth
  * Forging Bonds
  * Coupling
  * Breaking Bonds



_**Beyond** _

  * Sciences
  * Law
  * Rights



 

He flips over a random page. A lot of it he skims over. Several things he already knows he thinks. But a few paragraphs catch his attention:

 

_...Sentinels and Guides need to coexist. A Guide’s abilities help ground a Sentinel’s to prevent them from Zoning. Guides have highly developed empathic abilities that can help Sentinels work their way around their heightened senses._

 

_Because of their natural calming and empathic ability most Guides are found and excel in careers that involve a lot of crisis aversion, education, philanthropy and politics, humanitarian expeditions, social sciences, medicine, dealing with trauma victims, leadership, and similar careers..._

 

 

Steve whistles at that. He feels optimistic. Running a hand through his hair he turns to his side and gets comfortable, book in hand. His father has never really said anything good about Sentinel and Guides before, always presumed that these people were never to be trusted especially in business. He only started caring when Steve started showing signs of slight empathic ability when he was 14. He looked at him like it was an opportunity, a great business tool, so reading about it now, he felt hopeful. Like he was seeing himself in a new light. Never really felt like he could amount to anything...but now he’s desperately wishing he could be a Guide. He continues reading:

 

 

_Meanwhile Sentinels are gifted with heightened senses  (Touch, Sight, Smell, Sound, and Taste) and are extremely sensitive to their environment. Which makes them vulnerable and easy target if they’re not trained, or not accompanied by a Guide. They are susceptible to Zoning, which means they can get lost or overwhelmed by their own senses.  A fully mature and untrained Sentinel has been recorded to be able to hear a needle dropping from 300 feet away. Making them highly useful for careers that involve dangerous fields or physically taxing feats impossible to non-sentinels._

 

_Sentinels excel in careers such as law enforcement, search and rescue operations, field sciences, sports, animal preservation, bomb detection, espionage, military work  and other similar careers._

 

_Note: Although a guide and a sentinel can work together without being bonded, often times bonded pairs work together in jobs like Espionage or any work involving dangerous situations. This is too ensure the Sentinel’s safety, and also because they’re more efficient and effective working as a bonded pair._

 

 

Steve scratches his head at that. _Huh._ He wonders if he’d ever get to work with a sentinel? Stretching his hands up the ceiling and stares at them imagining himself pulling a sentinel out of a Zone. He plays around with the idea for a while, running around saving people with a faceless person by his side. Then he starts wondering if he can bond with someone like that? What would it be like to rely on somebody for the rest of your life? What would it be like to be _relied on_ for the rest of their lives?  _Shut up shut up._ _He’s not even a Guide. What’s he even thinking?_

 

He feels a light prickling sensation at the back of his neck again, anxiety creeping back in. _He feels a deep sense of longing he couldn't explain._   Groaning, he tosses the book across the room. Rolling over he covers his face with a pillow and takes shallow breaths to calm himself down. Then a flash of blue eyes appear in his thoughts, intense and unyielding, he gets lost in them. A few minutes later he falls into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been feeling well and also i have lots of work to do this week so I might be busy for while. :( But i've got the next chapters planned so im excited to start writing again when i can. 
> 
> I hope you guys like this update! 
> 
> I really appreciate the kudos and comments you guys left me! It really helps me to write some more so thank you :')


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy thinks he's going insane.
> 
>  

Billy thinks he's going insane.

 

 _No._ Actually in some degree he's self-aware enough to know he is a bit unhinged at times. But right now he thinks he's going absolutely _crazy._

 

He woke up irritable at around 6 am on a Monday because of a persistent thumping noise and some very enthusiastic murmuring. There was at least an hour left before his alarm and he’s not having it. He has rolled over his bed a few times to force himself to fall asleep ignoring the damn racket. But it just won't let up.

 

Now the natural reaction would be to find the said noise, stop the noises and go back to sleep. But then he realizes the racket isn’t coming from inside the house because the thing is now he’s hearing _Mrs. Whitman’s voice_ talking to a contractor about her ' _damn pipes bursting in the middle of the night'_. As if he's just standing right next to her. _What the fuck?_ Last Billy checked Mrs. Whitman lived three blocks away from Cherry Road. Unless Mrs. Whitman has managed to move next door overnight...something is really messing with his head. He takes a quick peek out his window and sees nobody there.  _Huh? He's definitely going i n s a n e._

 

So now Billy is walking around the house, assuming somebody is talking to Mrs. Whitman on the phone, or Mrs. Whitman decided to come over, or Maxine’s talking to her friends over her walkie-talkies again but no dice.  The house is quiet and none of the appliances are switched on. He listens for the rest of the house and even peeks through the window looking over the backyard and still nothing. Focusing now he’s in the living room listening for his family in the house if anything’s amiss but he can hear Max’s steady heartbeat, and slow breathing , _still asleep,_ he thinks. Then a few doors down he can hear Neil and Susan's quiet movements, soft rustling of cloth, and Susan muttering about breakfast–– _Wait what?_

 

Billy isn't dumb. He's pretty sure this isn't something he was able to do before. So one of the two of his conclusions is that he's finally snapped and Harrington _has definitely_ given him brain damage so now he's either hearing voices or it's the other thing –– He can feel panic rising into his throat at the realisation. _No. No way._ The sound and mechanical click of a doorknob and soft pattering of footsteps coming from his father’s room breaks his thoughts. As quiet as he can manage he fast walks back into his room and locks the door. He’s not about to deal with Neil when he’s about to have a breakdown. _Not now not now_

 

He tries to quell his panic by hiding under the blankets covering his ears with his hands. _What the fuck what the fuck–_

 

A knock. “Billy?” Neil asks from the other side of the door. “I know you’re awake I heard you from my room don’t think I wouldn't notice.” Of course that sentinel piece of work heard. He always knows. _Fuuuck_ His father knocks again then he says “You better get dressed in ten minutes. Make sure your sister isn’t late.” 

 

 _Motherfucker._  Now Billy's familiar with this sort of thing. His parents were a bonded pair after all. He used to watch his mother calm Neil down with her empathy or tell Neil to do breathing exercises and mental counting when he's about to pop a vein from being too overwhelmed.  Since his mother isn't here to do any of that he counts to ten and tries breathing through his nose before tossing the sheets aside. Rushing to his vanity he lifts his lips with a finger to check if he's grown fangs overnight or something. _No fangs, thank god._   He'd fucking _die_ if he'd turn into one of those freaks overnight. He hasn't got any of the Sentinel bullshit happening for him yet so he doesn't need to panic. It's probably just genetics. Probably wont even turn into a full-fledged freak at all. Yeah- YEAH. _Not a big deal._  

 

 

_***_

 

Presenting as a sentinel shouldn't come as a surprise at all. Billy had bonded parents, they have a higher probability of producing sentinel or guide children.  But year after year of check-ups Billy had no sign of presenting as one in the 17.5 years of his pathetic life. And he was thankful for it. **_So why now?_** He was 13 when he learned that you couldn't handle being separated from your mate, some people die, some people change just like his dad did when his mother died. It sounded pretty cool at some point back when he didn't understand any of the other stuff that came with it, it just seemed like having super powers. So now he's standing in the crowded hallway hearing every student in the hall's heartbeats, breathing, scuffing of shoes, slamming of locker doors, he decides that super powers are _bullshit_. He hides his shaking hands in his pockets and concentrates on calming down hoping that he's not gonna be anything more than a fluke in his biology. 

 

Walking to his locker he drowns out most of the noise of the other students, then a flash of red and a soothing sound of a rabbity heartbeat catches his attention. It's Harrington. He's wearing a thin red sweater today. _Cute_. Looking up he notices Harrington has dark circles under his eyes he's looking a bit shifty too. _What's wrong with him?_   Too focused on Steve he doesn't notice that Wheeler chick at his side talking low, she looks worried ...he chances a glance at him and unconsciously he listens in on their conversation. 

 

"You sure you're doing okay Steve?" She places her arm on his shoulder. Billy's fingers clench hard on his locker door. Metal creaking. 

 

"I'm fine Nance. I...just had a hard time sleeping." 

 

"Oh Steve." She reaches up and pats his cheek " You can talk to me about anything you know that right?"

 

"Yeah. I know."  He smiles sadly at her. They say their goodbyes and his eyes follow her until she disappears down the hall.

 

Billy watching the exchange he couldn't help but snarl and slam his locker door shut. Startling a few students walking by. It didn't even register with him that he snapped like that. Blinking he looks back at Steve and he's looking at him clearly hearing his outburst. He slaps on his brightest smile and walks over to him _"King Steve."_

 

Steve leans back against the lockers eyeing him warily. Hugging his books against his chest as Billy crowds him back against the lockers. "Isn't it a bit early to be terrorising freshmen?" he whispers. 

 

There was a retort at the tip of his tongue but this close he gets distracted by how loud Steve's heartbeat is in his ears. The beat sounded soothing to him _so familiar_ but it didn't feel right...it felt uneven and wrong. His breathing sounded short and clipped like he just ran a marathon. He sounded _so so tired._ Anxiety is filling his chest now. Harrington's eyes floods his vision and he vaguely registers him talking. "Billy?" voice laced with concern. 

 

They were so close now and he can feel Harrington's breath against his cheeks. A hand tries to reach out to him but he catches it midway and now he's holding Steve's hands feeling his skin. He hears Steve gasp at the contact but Billy ignores it even if he feels static from the touch too. He's so distracted because they're _so cold_. _Clammy._   Without a second thought he removes his denim jacket and hands it over to him. 

 

"What?" 

 

"Wear it." The brunette gingerly takes it from him. Looking at Billy like he's crazy. He probably is.

 

"What?!"

 

"I SAID WEAR IT." he growls, his voice spurring Steve to hastily put the Jacket on. 

 

Billy's instincts are on overdrive now. Ignoring Steve's sputtering and he's not even thinking when he reaches for an apple in his bag. An apple he brought from home because he hadn't had a chance to have breakfast but it doesn't matter. Steve looked like he's gonna topple over. He needs it more than him. He grabs both his hands and shoves the apple at him. "You better eat this Harrington or I swear to god-" 

 

"Why are you doing this?" He looks up at Steve now. He looks silly with the large jacket on. But it fills him with a strange warmth at the sight.

 

"Consider this a part two of my apology." he says. For a lack of something to say. Not even waiting for a response he turns around and hurries to class.

 

All the way there he doesn't even notice the school bell ringing loud across the hall. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Steve. Why are you stopping us from doing science?” Dustin asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took me forever to update! Ahh. I've been so busy! I hope you guys like this chapter!
> 
> (Also I read your comments and i appreciate them as well as the kudos! It keeps me going thanks guys TT_TT)

Billy is acting strange. Aside from the fact he lent Steve his jacket and giving him an apple this morning Billy Hargrove is _everywhere_.

 

Steve doesn’t know if he’s being paranoid, but the blond’s hovering around Steve all day. He keeps seeing him at the corner of his eye but never really coming close enough. At their shared english class, he’s sat next to him instead of his usual seat at the far back. He sees him hover around the halls when he thinks Steve isn’t looking too, leaning against the wall talking to Tommy chancing glances at him. Even sometimes when Steve is sure Billy isn’t there he feels eyes at the back of his head. But he doesn’t approach Steve again or even talk to him. It should disturb him but his close proximity with the blond makes him feel at ease he hasn’t felt all weekend. _Strange_.

 

Around lunch he’s sitting with Jonathan and Nancy, but he can see Billy a few tables down, his back is turned to him. He isn’t directly looking but he knows he’s hovering.

 

“Nice Jacket.” Jonathan says as he plops down the seat across Steve. Nancy following him shortafter. Sitting close to Jonathan.

 

“Huh?” Looking down at Billy’s jacket like he’s forgotten he’s wearing it.  “Oh thanks.”

 

“Looks good on you.” Jonathan says as he gives him a small smile. He was about to reply  but he whips around when he suddenly hears a crunching noise from Billy’s direction. He has a deathgrip on a now crushed plastic cup clenched in his fist. He promptly slams it back down on the table. A few students flee. Fearing his temper. _Geez that guy has anger issues._ Steve thinks.

 

“You sure you’re okay Steve you look...jumpy?” Nancy pipes in. Squinting at him.

 

“Ah yeah I just had a rough weekend.” looking away he thinks _rough weekend was an understatement._ Steve couldn’t even eat. On top of being alone and anxious, everything he ate tasted bland. He chalked it up to the leftovers he reheated going bad but when he ordered in some food from his favorite chinese place but it was also tasteless.

 

After that his appetite was shot all weekend...making him skip dinner and breakfast. Now aside from the apple Billy gave him this morning he’s pushing around sad clumps of meat on his tray. It’s meatloaf day today… and he doesn’t really want to eat it. Sighing he takes one bite anyway just so he doesn’t pass out in Basketball and–

 

“Is it just me or the meatloaf tastes good today?” He takes a few more mouthfuls and swallows it down with his juice. _When did the food here get so good?_ he takes another bite. He must be really hungry. Looking up Nancy and Jonathan are giving him strange looks.

 

“It’s just you.”  Nancy says.

 

“It tastes like it always has, Steve.” Jonathan says.

 

 _“Huh.”_ he continues eating and doesn’t even complain that Nancy is shovelling her leftover meatloaf on his tray.

 

“You still picking up the kids after class? They have AV club today.”

 

“Yeah it should be good.”  Finishing his meatloaf and he takes a large bite out of Billy’s apple. He hums while chewing slowly. _Sweet_. “I have Basketball so it’s no problem.”

 

“Thanks Steve.” Now see. Steve’s life didn’t use to be about third wheeling his bestfriends. ~~His ex-girlfriend and the guy he’s currently dating.~~ _This is so messed up_ . But here he is watching them hold hands under the cafeteria table. Making googley eyes at each other. Asking him to babysit their siblings just so they could get some alone time while Jonathan’s mother has a late shift. _He used to be better than this._  They make Steve look so so sad. He wants laugh _and_ cry at himself. He takes another bite off of his apple instead. Looking up a certain blond is staring at him from across the room. They hold their gazes for what feels like hours and a shudder skitters down his spine as he averts his gaze. He takes another bite of his apple instead. Huh.  _Sweet._

 

****

 

“Soo...do you have super smell?” Dustin asks. He turns a page on his notepad while tapping the end of a pencil on his chin thoughtfully. The kids are sitting around a table at the Wheeler’s basement. Papers scattered around. Some snacks on the table.

 

“Super _smell?”_ El making a face as she squints at him from where she’s draped over the couch.

 

“Like if we hid a bunch of Mike’s socks around the house do you think you can find them?”

 

“Dustin! She’s not a dog!” Mike snaps. His arms crossed, looking at Dustin with disbelief.

 

“Look! It’s to test my hypothesis–”

 

Steve sighs at Dustin’s loud outburst and rolls over the position he has in on a pile of comforters at the Wheeler’s basement floor. _These kids._

 

Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler had a last minute Hawkins Residents Association meeting at the Town Hall tonight. So when Steve arrived at the Wheeler’s house, hoping to just drop all the kids off, he’d been asked to watch the them while they’re out. Quickly walking out the door and not even waiting for his answer. El soon arrived later.

 

Steve wants to be upset about being stuck at the Wheelers’ alone with a bunch of 13 year olds. Even if they’re yammering about god knows what...but lazily stretched out on a pile of comforters, a copy of x-men #134 in one hand and the company, he can’t find it in him to complain. It’s better than being cooped up in his house _alone._ Groaning he rubs a hand across his face and fidgets with Billy’s jacket. Oh. _Right. Yeah_. He’s still wearing it.

 

Back in basketball practice Billy continued to act strange. He still acted like his usual aggressive self at Steve but when other students tried to deck him or treat him with the same aggression he’d glare their way or snarl at them. He almost got into a fight with Harvey S. too, a junior who recently moved in Hawkins which Steve heard presented as a sentinel last year. Harvey S. even bared his teeth _, showing off really sharp canines,_ trying to assert dominance at Billy when he tried calling him out. Which almost started a fight. Steve wanted to laugh when Billy bared his teeth back, showing off his blunt white teeth, but it wasn’t as funny when Steve _could feel_ Harvey’s aggressive intent coming off in waves.

 

So after practice he tried tracking Billy down to return his jacket and talk to him but he was nowhere to be found.

 

“She’s probably not even a sentinel. Look she controls things with her _mind._ That’s at least a guide thing.” Lucas pipes in. Breaking Steve’s musings.

 

“I agree.” Max says from her seat on the floor. “I don’t think she is. My step-dad’s a sentinel and he’s got like sharp fangs and stuff-”

 

 _“Fangs?”_ El leaning forward now. Chin on her hands. Curious.  

 

“Like sharp teeth!” Tilting her head. She grins wide at Max and Lucas while they check her for fangs.

 

“Ah no she doesn’t.”  Max says as Lucas nods.

 

“See? Probably a guide. Empath? Hello? Mind powers?”  

 

“Or she could be both.” Dustin suggests.

 

The boys get into a loud argument. _She can’t be both!_ Mike says indignantly as Lucas crosses his arms, Dustin insisting the _possibility of genetic modification,_ Mike. _If El can suddenly smell or hear a hundred miles away don’t you think she would have noticed?!_ Lucas insists. And amidst the noise for some reason Will catches Steve’s attention. Looking over he sees Will, who hasn’t said much the whole night, curled in on himself looking a bit ill. The boys continue to argue not noticing their friend’s discomfort.

 

“Hey- Hey keep it down!”  glancing at Will again who’s fiddling nervously on his sweater. “Why do you guys want to know if she’s a sentinel or a guide anyway?” sitting up now, squinting at them.

 

“We wanna know how El got her powers.” Max says.

 

“For science.” Dustin pipes in.

 

“Not Mike though. I think he just wants to know if they can be soulmates.”  Lucas teases.

 

“Shut up Lucas!” Mike says huffily. Blushing to his ears.

 

“What? I didn’t know you’re a Sentinel or a guide….are you?” Steve asks.

 

“I’m not.”

 

“Okay and you guys are figuring this all out because…?”  Steve stands up now. Adjusting his clothes.

 

“We maaay have gotten off tangent.”  Max supplies. Eyeing Steve warily. Eyes flicking over the jacket.  

 

“I mean if El’s a sentinel...”

 

“GUIDE.” Lucas corrects.

 

“Whatever!” Mike says.

 

“It could mean her parents could also be sentinel or guides.” Dustin interjects. Ignoring Mike’s outburst.

 

“Then it means her parents must work for the government.” Lucas says.

 

“Or it could also mean she got powers because her parents are sentinel and guide.”

 

“Max is your step-brother a -?”

 

“No...i don’t think he is?”

 

“See? Just because somebody’s parents are bonded doesn’t mean they’re...whatever.”

 

“It’s a high probability Steve! Like 90%!” Dustin insists.

 

“Case-closed Dustin! End of discussion” Steve says with finality.

 

“Steve. Why are you stopping us from doing science?”  Dustin asks.

 

“This is not you doing science this is you dipshits skirting over dangerous territory.”

 

“What?”

 

“Look. Okay what exactly are you going to do when you find out  what El really is? Or her parents hm?”

 

“Well we can figure out who her sister’s parents are too if we-”

 

“You have a sister?!”  whipping around to look at El.

 

“With mind powers.” El grins at him. Looking proud.

 

“Whoa whoa– wait!” He gestures wildly. “ It’s one thing to stop trouble from coming at us and another when you guys are looking for trouble.” he wipes at his face with both hands. Taking a deep breath.

 

“I need you dipshits to stop this right now you understand me?” Looking at all of them. Hands tight on his waist. “I need a yes?!” wagging a finger, eyes flicking over their disappointed faces. Like Steve _is a big killjoy_ . _Great._

 

“Steve.” Will says from his spot. Interrupting him. Voice small and looking pale. Almost looks like he’s about to cry too. Steve thinks he’s about to have a panic attack. He’s been familiar with those these past few months so this isn’t unfamiliar.

 

Steve walks over and kneels down so they’re eye-level. Trying for soothing he says softly “Hey are you okay?” He gingerly puts a hand on his shoulder. The kid allows it.

 

“I want to go home.” Will shuts his eyes and clenches his fist. Worried now,  Steve looks at the clock. _6:44._ The Wheelers won't be back ‘til 8 to 8:30 at least. He can’t leave these kids alone. Not when they’re talking about potentially dangerous stuff like this again. _Shit._ And Hopper would have his head on a plate if something happens to El, let alone all these kids.  

 

“El, what time is Jim picking you up?” he asks her. Looking for options.

 

“Eight-one-five.” She says. _Damn_. He can’t fit all these pre-teens in the car while he drops Will off. And he doesn’t think a kid who’s about to get a panic attack would like to be smothered by all of his friends either. He looks back at everyone. All the kids are now worried. Peering over his shoulder. Trying to get a good look at Will.

 

“Hey. How’sa ‘bout you boys get us something to drink? We’ll be right up.” Nodding at Mike, Dustin and Lucas. They hurry up the stairs eager to help. El is staring at them from her seat and Max looks sad and that gives Steve an idea.

 

“Max...is your brother busy?”

 

“I don’t know...he won’t pick me up until 8 though.”

 

“Do you think maybe you can ask him to come over early?”

 

“I’ll try...” Max fidgets uncomfortably. Contemplating. Steve chalks it up to her being scared of asking her brother so he suggests “I can talk to him if you want-”

 

“No! I’ll do it.” Steve raises his eyebrows at that but lets her be. He turns his attention back to Will who’s now wiping at his eyes softly sniffling.

 

“Hey.”

 

“I’m sorry Steve,” Will says. Eyes still closed.

 

“No it’s totally cool.” He places his hands on both of Will’s shoulders. Trying for comfort.

 

“It is?”

 

“Yeah we all have bad days,” He smiles sadly at him.

 

Steve thinks he has never tried to intentionally calm somebody down from something like this before. After reading that book he thinks maybe he can do something. So even if he feels silly he tries to purposefully emanate calmness at the younger boy.

 

“So tell me what’re you feeling? Are you scared?” Will opens his eyes this time and nods. “Yeah.”

 

“Of what?”

 

Will looks away, like he’s not sure if he should tell Steve. Steve tries his best to exude calm and eventually the boy concedes, “I-i don’t know I just feel like something is wrong. Like something bad is going to happen,”  He takes a deep breath and wipes his eyes on the sleeve of his sweater. “I sound crazy I know.”

 

“Hey,” Steve assures him with a gentle squeeze on his shoulder. “You don’t.” 

 

The fact that Will is opening up to him fills Steve with a bit of pride. Now he's determined, “But I want you to listen to me okay?” he says. 

 

“Yeah?” The younger boy looks up to him.

 

“Nothing bad is going to happen, alright?” Steve holds his gaze. “Do you believe me?”

 

Will takes a few slow breaths, Steve counts it in his head. A beat. Then another. “Okay.” Will says eventually It feels like a win.

 

“Good.” Steve is smiling wide now. “Now do you think you can hold out until Billy gets here? ”

 

In about 20 minutes the doorbell rings and Max drags her brother towards the living room. He’s dressed in only his henley and jeans. Hair disarray like he was disturbed in the middle of something but drove here as soon as Max called. Steve immediately talks to him and explains the situation. Surprisingly Billy doesn’t even complain, he accepts taking over his babysitting duties right away even. Even if everyone wasn’t completely on-board with the idea. Steve almost thinks that Billy wants to be there. Or grateful for the excuse to be elsewhere. Steve doesn’t question it. He just ushers Will to the car and promises to be back quickly as he can.

 

***

When Steve gets back from the Byers the Wheelers have returned and Lucas and El have been picked up by their parents. He finds Billy sitting across Mrs. Wheeler in the living room all smiles and charm. But Steve can feel his discomfort judging by his body language.

 

He tells Max and Dustin to pack their things while ushering Billy out of the house, telling Mrs. Wheeler excuses that they should really be leaving soon. Once they’re outside they both wait it out, together leaning against the Camaro while Billy lights a smoke. Steve lets out a breath. Doesn’t know why he wants to keep close.

 

“Hey man. Thanks so much for doing this last minute. “ Steve says.

 

“The kid get home okay?”

 

“Yeah I mean that kid went through a lot. Probably just had a really bad day.”

 

“You really have it bad for those half-pints don’t you?”

 

“Don’t call them that.”

 

“I don’t know what’s in it for you pretty boy but you’re really out here taking care of everybody.” He exhales smoke and points the cigarette at Steve “But who takes care of _you?”_

 

Now Steve really takes his time to look at Billy. The way he's carrying himself now. Unsure and uneasy, refusing to look at him in the eyes. Slightly shivering out in the cold, body tense as he tries his best not to show it. He can’t help but wonder why he’s been acting strange lately. Remembering how the other boy fussed about him all day. It makes him want to say _You do don’t you?_ But instead he removes the jacket and holds it in front of the blond.

 

“Hey, here.” wiggling the jacket in his hands, as if making a point.

 

 "Thanks for uh– letting me borrow your jacket.” Billy looks at the jacket in his hands like he’s unsure with what to do with it.  “I’ll be okay. Go on.” He assures him.

 

The blond gingerly takes it from him with trembling fingers. Steve stifles the urge to soothe him or ask him what’s bothering him. But the front door of the Wheeler’s burst open “Billy! I’m ready we’re gonna be late!” Max says with Dustin in tow.

 

“Okay! Just get in the car, Max.” When Steve looks back , Billy is already walking towards the driver’s side, unlocking the door. Conversation over.

 

“Billy I-” Steve calls over, but when Billy looks at him he forgets what he wants to say. He just. Doesn’t want him to go. “ ...just drive safe.”

 

The blond nods at him and when they drive away. Steve is feeling anxious all over again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy hurried home as soon as practice was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this update! ;n; The story should pick up from here!
> 
> (I appreciate the comments and kudos guys! I do read them and as always i really love reading them! Thank you so much!)

Billy hurried home as soon as practice was over. Good thing Max had AV club today and was scheduled to work on some group assignment over one her nerd friends. He really didn't want to deal with anyone right now. As soon as the coach ended practice he raced out of the gym forgoing a shower and just drove home in his sweaty gym clothes.

 

By the end of the day he felt like he's about to burst out of his skin. Felt like he was out of control. Going crazy. Steve Harrington was driving him nuts. He's always had interest in him. But not like this. Not this hyperawareness. _This fixation_. Like he had to keep close. Make sure he's safe. Keep hearing the soothing sound of his heartbeat. His voice.

 

He thinks about Byers and Harvey S. Getting too close today. Their presence around Steve made his hackles rise. He found himself wanting to rip their fucking arms off. Harvey S. had no right to push Steve around like that. But when he unconsciously bared back his teeth at that sentinel.The sharp scent of pheromones in the air had him snap back into reality. Harvey smelt like he was gearing for a fight. The fog that was clouding his thoughts suddenly dissipated. _What was he doing?_

 

He had to recollect himself, he needed space. So he decided he had to come home right away. He had a few hours to spare before Neil and Susan arrive from work. And another hour before picking Max up from the Wheelers. He's got time. He just needs to finish his chores before they arrive. So he gets to working. A shower can wait until after he’s finished cleaning up.

 

***

By the time Neil and Susan arrived Billy had finished cleaning up and just gotten out of the shower. Before that he's managed to finish his homework and snag some men’s health magazines from his dad's room. Which hopefully he gets to read up on later. He needs to get a hold of this sentinel situation.

 

He's only dressed in his henley and boxers when Susan calls him out to help with the groceries from outside.

 

“Thank you so much, Billy.”

 

“No problem.” as he takes the bags from Susan’s arms.

 

“Billy.” his dad greets.

 

“Hello dad.”

 

It's when Billy was quietly putting away the groceries and Susan was starting on dinner that things go awry.

 

Neil Hargrove was sitting in the living room, watching television, when he suddenly stood up. Walking around the house and checking the windows. He even opened the bedroom doors down the hall. As if to check if anyone else is in the house. Billy tried to pay it no mind, but because he can hear better he can hear his father taking deep breaths as if sniffing the air from the hall. When he walks back into the kitchen he’s looking straight at Billy.

 

“Susan,”

 

“Hm? What is it dear?” She asks.

 

“Have we had any visitors? Did Maxine bring anyone over?”

 

“Not that I recall no,” She looks up from where she was cutting up tomatoes and asks, “Is there something the matter?”

 

“I'm sure I can smell a Sentinel was here.”

 

“Are you sure it's not just you?”

 

“No.” He slowly walks over to Billy, eyes stoney as he puts one hand on his shoulder. Does he think he's brought sentinel over? Is it him? Can his dad smell him changing? Impossible. It can't be him. Billy almost drops the cans of soup he was holding, heart beating fast in his chest. Calm down dammit. He can hear you.

 

“ Is there something you want to tell me, Son?”

 

“I-I didn't have anyone over I swear!” He sputters.

 

“I'm going to ask you again. And I want you to tell me the truth this time.” The grip on his shoulder has creeped towards his throat. He knows his dad can feel his pulse there. “You can't lie to me, you know I can always tell, Billy.”

 

“Dad I-”  He’s interrupted.The phone rings from the kitchen and Neil lets go of his hold on Billy’s throat and walks over to answer it. Billy takes a deep breath, relieved, he sets the cans of soup down on the counter. His hands are shaking.

 

“Maxine.” Neil says. He perks up from the mention of his step-sister’s name and discreetly listens in on the conversation. She says something about needing him to come get her early. For some school thing. It’s clearly a lie. He doesn’t remember her mentioning that before. He won't call her out on it. He’s just grateful for an out.

 

“Get dressed.” Neil says after he’s placed the phone back on the wall. He takes stock of Billy’s appearance and frowns.  “Your sister needs you.”

 

“Y-yes sir.” As he was about to hurry to his room to throw a pair of jeans and just get out of the house as soon as possible. His dad grabs him by the arm and says, “We're not done. We'll talk later.” voice low, eyes intense. He nods frantically and rushes to get dressed.

 

By the time he arrives at the Wheeler’s it turns out Harrington needed him to take over babysitting. He doesn’t mind. He’s thankful for any excuse to get out of the house.  (And at this point he doesn’t think he’s capable of saying no when Steve asks him for anything.) He just needs keep the kids in line for a while, it helps that they’re all half afraid of him so it’s no big deal.

 

When they’re leaning against the Camaro when Steve gets back from the Byer’s place. Billy is sufficiently distracted. Steve is distracting. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t feel like himself today, especially after that close encounter with his dad. He wants to stay close to him. He feels better when he’s around. He wants to wrap himself up in his warmth. _It’s stupid._ Steve returns his jacket back too. He really doesn’t want it back, Byers was right it looks good on him. But because of Steve’s coaxing he takes it back anyway.

 

He makes his mistake when he sneaks back to his room that night. He doesn’t know why he did it.  But it’s when he takes the jacket that Steve wore all day and breathes it in. Something in his brain clicks. It’s the best scent he’s ever smelled in his life. Musky and fragrant It makes him lightheaded and dizzy. But pleasantly so.

 

He loses control of the situation after that. His skin feels too tight. He feels too big for his body. The fabric of his clothes are too scratchy and offending on his skin. He wants to tear them off. Everything sounds grating in his ears, every scent smells too offending. Steve’s scent is the only thing he wants, _he needs._ The only thing that feels _right._ He doesn’t realize he’s been rubbing his cheek on the fabric of his jacket, snarling around it as he goes. It’s his strong scent and the loud sounds of his heavy breathing that snaps him out of it.

 

Throwing the jacket into his closet, he panics and walks towards his vanity and sees his reflection. His eyes are blown wide. His irises are now thin rings of blue. His room smells of his pheromones. This is it. He can feel his body changing.

 

Resigned to his fate, he goes to bed, stripping down to his boxers. He’ll deal with it when the morning comes.

 

****

 

Before Billy can even wake up, he’s bodily dragged off his bed and thrown onto the floor. Body falling on several hard objects as he goes. He barely has time to open his eyes when he feels a hard slap on his face. It stings. Billy thinks his dad cut him on his cheek when his ring caught on the skin.

 

“Get up.”

 

“Dad-” He gasps. Still hasn’t recovered from the shock of being woken up like this.

 

Neil lifts him up and shoves him against the wall. Hand tight on his throat. “Don’t try lying to me this time. I don’t have to ask you again.”

 

“I-” He chokes out. He doesn’t know what to say.

 

When his father moves closer to him as if to gesture that he’s listening to what Billy has to say. He takes a deep breath his demeanour immediately changes. He suddenly looks at Billy with a glint in his eyes and his snarl turning into a sickly sweet grin. The grip on his throat slackens and pats Billy slightly on the cheek. Billy has never been this scared to see his father smile.

 

“It’s _you_ ,” He sounds amused. He takes a look at Billy’s appearance. “You’re changing.” He says . Billy thinks he’s taking stock of every forming bruise from being thrown off the bed and calculating how long he’ll heal  because his father says, “I’m taking you to the doctor’s to get you checked. Maybe we can get you enlisted when you start presenting.” he takes another sweep of his appearance. “ ...this weekend. I’ll take you to the clinic.”  

 

He’s trying his best not to cry, back still pushed against the wall.  His dad walks out of the door of his room but says one last thing.

 

“Make sure your sister isn’t late to school.”


	10. 10 part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wipes away the sweat that was forming on the knot between his brows. God. He hasn't been sleeping well and when he's got a few hours in something wakes him up. He's not sure exactly but something. Something is terribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 is pretty long! So i split it to two parts! I hope you guys like it ;n;
> 
> As always, I do read your comments when i can and i always appreciate them! Thank you. :)

 

Steve jolts awake. Gasping for air, sheets tangling around his limbs as he tries to make sense of his surroundings. He's home. Right.

 

He wipes away the sweat that was forming on the knot between his brows. God. He hasn't been sleeping well and when he's got a few hours in something wakes him up. He's not sure exactly but _something_ . _Something_ is terribly wrong.

 

Getting out of bed he's determined to find out what exactly. Looking at the clock, it's barely six in the morning. The sun isn’t out yet. And his alarm hasn't rung. Grabbing the bat from underneath the bed he surveys the whole house. Nothing is amiss. He walks downstairs to check the news. And again nothing is wrong. After breakfast he radios the kids and asks if anything is up, hoping to justify this strange feeling, but all of them reply saying that they're okay. Except Max, who hasn’t even gotten on the line.

 

By the time he arrives at school he's on edge like he's waiting for a storm to happen. Subconsciously he's looking for Billy through the crowds of students in the hall but he doesn't find him. The usually loud and boisterous blond is nowhere to he seen. Steve thinks that maybe he doesn't want to draw attention to himself. Actually he has a strong feeling that he is. By the time it's basketball practice he's almost chewed his thumb to the quick from nervously gnawing on it all day. _Where the fuck is he?_

 

He finds Billy later at the court, by the time he sees him relief fills his chest. Halfway walking over to the blond, Billy removes shirt to play for the other team and It— it's bad. He has small bruises littering his back. Now that it's gotten his attention he also notices a thin cut on his cheek. Steve can't stop looking. He faintly registers Billy saying something about falling over playing ball with some guys a town over. Steve thinks it's bullshit. What a fuckin' liar. He needs Billy to look at him. He needs to get his attention, get him to fess up. Needs to fix this. Whatever this is.

 

Sufficiently distracted the whole game, Steve plays bad. His teammates are giving him strange looks but Steve couldn’t care less. Billy hasn't made eye contact with him once, not even a scathing comment from the blond too.

 

Harvey S, who's playing on Steve’s team this time, snatches the ball from him and elbows Steve’s face in the process. He flinches when it makes contact with his mouth. Hard. Making his teeth clack. Lower lip catching. The taste of blood on his tongue.

 

“Get your head in the game!” Harvey says when he rushes forward and makes a shot. The ball goes in smoothly.

 

“You don't have to drag us down with you, Harrington.” Harvey says. Smug.

 

After wiping the blood off his lip, the intention to yell something back dies in his throat because Billy tackles Harvey S on the ground.

 

“What the fuck—” Harvey chokes out as his back hits the floor. Billy is on him fast, pinning him down with a hand on Harvey’s throat and a knee on his chest.

 

“Apologize.” Billy growls.

 

“You're fucking crazy Hargrove!” Harvey sneers.

 

“Are you deaf, Specter?” Billy grabs Harvey by the collar of his shirt and thumps him against the gym floor. “I said. Apologize.”

 

The acrid smell of pheromones fill the air, and in a second Harvey switches their positions and takes a punch at Billy’s cheek. Growling right at Billy’s face...but the blond grins back, teeth bloody, eyes looking a bit insane. Then they’re on each other tackling, punching, grabbing each other’s hair. The gym goes into panic. The other boys run into the edges of the court avoiding the conflict. The sound of their growls and hissing ring in Steve’s ears.

 

Steve hasn't seen a sentinel go feral in real life before. And holy shit- he's never wants to see it happen again. The two are going at it like animals. Steve thinks Billy is fucking suicidal for even going against a _sentinel_ like that. He’s no match. Has he completely lost his mind?

 

Vaguely he hears the coach call for a nurse. Probably to sedate the two boys, a protocol when dealing with feral sentinels. He’s seen it in movies. The other boys look too scared to even break them apart. Steve thinks it's gonna be too late for that. When Billy howls from the pain when Harvey bites his arm. Steve panics. Following his instincts  he goes in between them and pushes them apart. His empathy on full blast.

 

“Both of you– _STOP!”_

 

It all happens in slow motion, Steve sees Harvey freeze and turn limp on the gym floor. Eyes rolling back into his head . A loud high whine rings in his ears when he sees Billy freeze too, mouth agape, fist suspended in the air, irises blown to hell. Steve takes his chance to take them apart by wrapping his arms around Billy’s waist and pulls. Almost dragging him away from the other boy.

 

“Billy, it’s okay,” He leans in, whispering low in his ear. “I need you to calm down okay?”

 

“I’m gonna-” Billy gasps out. “I’m gonna tear his arms off–” Billy snarls, nearly incoherent. He looks like he’s in a trance. Arms swinging aimlessly . Like Harvey’s still in his reach, trying to sneak in more punches.

 

“Billy you’re not.”

 

“...I’m not?” Billy says, sounding a bit drunk.  Steve really wants to laugh. But it’s really not the time, even if Billy looks like a lost puppy in his arms.

 

“No. You’re not.” Steve assures him. He tightens his grip on Billy’s waist for good measure. The other boy absolutely melts in his arms. Breathing in Billy’s scent, it calms him down too.

 

“HARRINGTON.” the coach calls out. Startled, he almost drops Billy from his hold. He forgot about being in the gym, while getting lost in their bubble for a few seconds.

 

And when Steve finally looks up. He takes in the scene before him. Harvey S unconscious on the gym floor. Probably zoned out. The other students are watching them from the sidelines. Scared shitless. And two nurses with syringes. Ready to tranquilize the two boys. Reminiscent of Max jamming a syringe at Billy’s neck back then.

“Harrington. In my office. Now.”  The coach demands, and Steve reluctantly goes. Ignoring Billy’s protests when he lets go of him.

 

****

 

“Do you know why I called you in here, Son?”  The coach says from his desk. Steve feels exposed from the scrutiny.

 

“No sir.” Steve says. Arms wrapped around himself. Making himself small. Trying to get his mind off of Billy a few doors down in the clinic. Coach exhales a long breath and starts talking.

 

“When was the last time you got tested?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“...for being a guide, son.”

 

“I-uhm...last year sir.”

 

“Was that before or after the season’s finals?”

 

“Before sir.”

 

“I would suggest you take it again.” the coach says. “When we did physical exams then I remember you having a slight emphatic ability. It could be different this time.” Is he suggesting that he’s- No way. He can’t be a guide. His dad is not going to like it. Deep down though, it makes him giddy. Kind of excited. Kind of anxious. The rustling of papers on his desk has stopped. The coach must have taken his silence as a disagreement because he says,

 

“Harrington, I’m a married sentinel myself. I’ve had my share of scraps in my day.” _What’s he getting at?_ Steve doesn’t know what to say to that so he keeps his mouth shut.

 

“I know what that’s like.”  The coach pinches the bridge of his nose. Then he looks up with a wistful look on his face.

 

“When I first met my wife I thought I was going crazy, later when we finally had the chance to talk turns out she was my mate.”

 

“W-what?!” _What._

 

“ And seeing you get in between two feral sentinels like that takes a whole lot of natural empathy, guts and stupidity.”

 

“B-but sir Billy isn’t a sentinel–”

 

“Which is why I was going to suggest that both of you should probably get checked.”

 

A light knock on the door and Steve startles.

 

“Come in.” The coach says.

 

One of the school nurses walk in holding a file. She looks exasperated. Steve sees that she’s holding both of Steve’s and Billy’s School health records.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also a few notes since i realise that there are a lot of people in the fandom that isn't familiar with the Sentinel/Guide trope:
> 
> *This trope is very very close to A/B/O mixed with the soul-bond trope. (Minus some...body parts)  
> *Sentinels have heightened senses, and usually have more visible physical attributes than Guides.  
> *Guides are more empathic, usually they're there to help ground a sentinel to reality. They're like handlers for Sentinels! (Basically)  
> *Many fics depict spirit animals, but I think i will opt out of it and use that trope for something else.  
> *For more info ---> https://fanlore.org/wiki/Sentinel_AU

**Author's Note:**

> Also a few notes since i realise that there are a lot of people in the fandom that isn't familiar with the Sentinel/Guide trope:
> 
> *This trope is very very close to A/B/O mixed with the soul-bond/soulmate trope. (Minus some...body parts)  
> *Sentinels have heightened senses, and usually have more visible physical attributes than Guides.  
> *Guides are more empathic, usually they're there to help ground a sentinel to reality. They're like handlers for Sentinels! (Basically)  
> *Many fics depict spirit animals, but I think i will opt out of it and use that trope for something else.  
> *For more info ---> https://fanlore.org/wiki/Sentinel_AU


End file.
